Favorite National Anthem [Non-Political]

[Athaniar]

I've been listening to some national anthems on YouTube, and I was wondering, which anthem do you consider the best, strictly musically speaking (we DO NOT want any political discussion here)? I kind of like the Kazakhstan (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s0tNRKV5DD8&feature=channel_page) one (the current one, to clarify).

[Oregano]

Canada's got a good national anthem, mainly because Canada rules.:smallwink:

I'm not too sure it's my fave though.

[Lord Herman]

I think my favourite would be the German anthem. The Russian one is quite nice too.

[Mr. Mud]

Eh that's tough, for I don't really listen to lots of national anthems... what I remember of the British one isn't bad nor is the German. But my favorite is probably my own anthem, of the USA :smallbiggrin:. Probably because it's easily adaptable to Rock Guitar, and you could throw in a few mini solos :smalltongue:

[Silent Hunter]

The Russian one is very good.

The old Qatari one is a good phone ring tone.

[DomaDoma]

Hatikvah. So, so very much. Even the Russian Red Army Choir can't compare, and that's musically.

[Nerd-o-rama]

Let me speak out for the good old Star-Spangled Banner for emotionally stirring music. It's not the best, but it deserves mention.

I actually think the old Soviet Union anthem is quite well-done, connotations and associations aside. Were it still around though, I'd probably pull for Star-Spangled Banner out of pride.

[Lord Iames Osari]

It's not the official national anthem, but the Battle Hymn of the Republic is one of my favorite pieces of music.

[afroakuma]

Our Canadian one isn't bad... but then, I have a bias towards broad, sweeping brass lines.

All Americana-styled music (Hail to the Chief, Star-Spangled Banner, Stars & Stripes Forever and especially the Liberty Bell March) has been used in parody so often that it has no ability to stir anything in me (except for expectation of a giant foot to arrive.)

I remember not being fond of Kimi ga Yo anthem for some reason... likely just a musical style opinion.

La Marseillaise is rousing enough; God Save The Gender-Neutral Ruler I just don't find musically impressive for whatever reason.

[bosssmiley]

The Russians have always given good anthem. Both the pre-1917 "God Save the Tsar" (which has a cameo in the 1812 Overture) and their current national anthem (the old Soviet anthem with updated lyrics) have a certain hair-raising je ne c'est quoi, even for someone who's not Russian.

God Save the Queen (the British national anthem) is, as both Bill Bailey and Billy Connolly have observed, a hopeless dirge. I'm not surprised the Irish left us over it (:smallwink:).

Flower of Scotland, Land of My Fathers and Jerusalem (Haggisland, Taffystan and Eng-er-lun respectively) all have more oomph to the them, as do Rule Britannia and most of the rest of the Proms patriotic anthems medley (Pomp & Circ, Nimrod (http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=sUgoBb8m1eE), etc.).

The Geordie (http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=3hgxVQxGwok) and Anglo-Indian (http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=fX2ChYuRh3U) anthems are fun too. :smallbiggrin:

[Nerd-o-rama]

The Federation's the same as the Union's? Really? Hm. I guess the Red Army Choir just sang it better, because I don't remember them sounding the same...

This thread inspired me to look up Ukraine's national anthem (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nG38sf4oesg). You know, I think Eastern Europe just gets all the good composers...

[Gaelbert]

I've always been partial to the Irish national anthem. Of course, I'm biased.

[Lerky]

hm...being American the natural one that comes to mind is Star Spangled Banner. But I've always liked Scottish music, and therefore favour their anthem. Britan also has a catchy one as well.

[Satyr]

Ode an die Freude. It was once the German national anthem (before they reintroduced the current one...) and it is now (without the text) the anthem of the EU.

[Moff Chumley]

Star Spangled Banner, just because of Jimi's version.

[Neon Knight]

For me, it's the Russian national anthem.

[Mando Knight]

But my favorite is probably my own anthem, of the USA :smallbiggrin:. Probably because it's easily adaptable to Rock Guitar, and you could throw in a few mini solos :smalltongue:

Noes! :smallyuk:

I prefer the Star-Spangled Banner played with a marching (or at least a mainly winds-and-percussion) band, without any pop-star-or-American-Idol-or-What-Have-You-'s embellishments.

[Tirian]

I've got a lot of love for The Star-Spangled Banner, but my favorite has always been La Mareillaise (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_iYbEPZVVIA). I just find that "Let us march, that their tainted blood may drench our furrows" is precisely the sort of in-your-face can of whoopass that I want in my anthems, instead of the pablum in "God Save the Queen" or "O Canada".

[Ascension]

Soviet anthem all the way. Star-Spangled's nice, O Canada's pretty darn good, but the Soviet Union (and, by extension, modern Russian) wins the war on the music front.

[Moff Chumley]

Noes! :smallyuk:

I prefer the Star-Spangled Banner played with a marching (or at least a mainly winds-and-percussion) band, without any pop-star-or-American-Idol-or-What-Have-You-'s embellishments.

Jimi Hendrix? Best guitarist of all time? Era defining 1969 Woodstock performance of Star Spangled Banner? Ring any bells?

[Bonecrusher Doc]

I really like Nkosi Sikelele Afrika.

Best version I ever heard of the Star Spangled Banner was a duet for two trumpets. Got me all choked up.

I think Russian is such a great language for men's choral music that it would be hard to go wrong with any national-anthem type song sung by the Red Army Choir.

Of course, then there's this (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0lNFRLrP014).

[RTGoodman]

I love playing "The Star-Spangled Banner," and the trombone part during the last section is by far on the coolest parts of American music ever, in my opinion.

That said, the German anthem ("Deutschlandlied") always seemed to me to be a very solemn and patriotic piece, and I've been listening to the Irish anthem (Amhrán na bhFiann) a lot lately as I teach myself tin whistle and work on my Irish.

[Tirian]

Jimi Hendrix? Best guitarist of all time? Era defining 1969 Woodstock performance of Star Spangled Banner? Ring any bells?

I appreciate the technical skills of his improv work, but it still sounds to me like he was trying to kill a cat but wasn't quite sure how to go about it. I understand where he was going with it, but no. Just no.

I agree with Mando Knight. Whether you're Jimi Hendrix or Whitney Houston or Rosanne Barr, it's not your signature song. Embellishing the national anthem to put your particular artistic stamp on it or to insert your personal political feelings is tacky no matter how good (or famous) you are. My preferences are also for bands or choirs that feature harmonies rather than expressive solos.

[Innis Cabal]

Kenya's rocks. No lie

[afroakuma]

instead of the pablum in "God Save the Queen" or "O Canada".

Obviously you've only seen our English lyrics. The French ones include "Your history is an epic of your most brilliant exploits" and "Your arm knows how to bear a sword." English writer just lamed out on us.

Sure, it's not the bloody wrath of La Marseillaise, but we do pretty well. :smallsmile:

[kpenguin]

Being an American, The Star-Spangled Banner is the natural response. After all, its set to the tune of a drinking song. How awesome is that?

The Russian one is pretty badass though.

[Tirian]

Kenya's rocks. No lie

Where can you see lions?
Only in Kenya!
Come to Kenya, we got lions.... (http://www.weebls-stuff.com/toons/kenya/)

[rubakhin]

Tkho tsk'a a tskh'annenna k'ardellah sovtsur dats, 'ozhalla, ya marsho - shinnekh tskh'a' yokkxur yu! La ilaha il Allah!

'Ozalla ya Marsho - Death or Freedom - the beautiful anthem (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yxyq2N7eV-Q&feature=related) of the separatist republic of Ichkeria (still pretty much the de facto anthem of Chechnya, although now there's a different official one).

Probably my favorite simply because it's the only song on the planet I can always remember all the words to.


We were born at night when the she-wolf whelped,
In the morning, to lion's deafening roar, they named us
There is no god but Allah
In eagles' nests our mothers nursed us,
To tame wild bulls our fathers taught us.
There is no god but Allah

Our mothers raised us to dedicate ourselves to our Nation and our Homeland,
And if our nation needs us we're ready to fight the oppressive hand.
There is no god but Allah
We grew up free as eagles, princes of the mountains.
There is no threshold from which we will shy away.
There is no god but Allah

Sooner will cliffs of granite begin to melt like molten lead,
Than any one of us shall lose our honour in life's struggles.
There is no god but Allah
Sooner shall the Earth be swallowed up by the broiling sun,
Than we emerge from a trial in life without our honour!
There is no god but Allah

Never to bow our heads to anyone, we give our sacred pledge,
To die or to live in freedom is our fate.
There is no god but Allah
Our sisters heal our brothers' bloody wounds with their songs,
Lovers' eyes will supply the strength of arms.
There is no god but Allah

If hunger weaken us, we'll gnaw on the roots of trees,
And if thirst debilitates us, we'll drink the dew from the grass.
There is no god but Allah
For we were born at night when the she-wolf whelped.
We pledge our lives to God, Nation and Vainakh homeland.
There is no god but Allah


I also like the song Rota (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z7x7NJF1BSE) which was proposed as the Polish anthem way back but never used.

[ghost_warlock]

My favorite is the one from the comedy film Borat.

Yes, I'm being totally serious. The music is uplifting and the lyrics are hilarious. :smallsmile:

I suppose this reflects on how seriously I take nationalism... :smallsigh:

@V: :biggrin:

[Eldan]

Morpooorkia, Morpooorkia...

Oh, real anthems? No idea, I don't know any.

[WinterSolstice]

Finland's is a nice one.
Russia also has a grand anthem

[KnightDisciple]

I'll throw my hat in and say "The Star-Spangled Banner". Something about it just stirs me (in a good way).

[WNxHasoroth]

No real favorites, I just think "Battle Hymn of the Republic" is a kick ass name.

[dish]

But I've always liked Scottish music, and therefore favour their anthem. Britan also has a catchy one as well.

Hate to break this to you, but Scotland is officially part of the United Kingdom of Great Britian and Northern Ireland - so we all share a national anthen: the aforementioned dirge called God Save the Queen (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FjOvglYEzcg) (don't you love how uncomfortable the Queen looked during that?).
You may be thinking of Oh Flower of Scotland (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hEPlgV6yMTY), which is used when the Scottish sports teams are playing, or you may be thinking of Scotland the Brave (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hEPlgV6yMTY), as played by every pipe band, ever.

[Jack Squat]

I'm going to have to go with Scotland the Brave...maybe because I'm in one of the aforementioned pipe bands :smalltongue:

I do like this version (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kK6LkpfZ94s&feature=PlayList&p=1D75953F4AB64D95&index=0&playnext=1) a bit better though.

[dish]

I'm going to have to go with Scotland the Brave...maybe because I'm in one of the aforementioned pipe bands :smalltongue:

I do like this version (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kK6LkpfZ94s&feature=PlayList&p=1D75953F4AB64D95&index=0&playnext=1) a bit better though.

If you're going to have the Corries, then they should be singing 'Oh Flower of Scotland' (since they wrote it in the first place). I was looking for a version with the original words, but it's pretty illusive. Best I could find was this one. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=70vcS41tr2A&feature=related)

[Avilan the Grey]

Russia, Sovjet, Germany. In no particular order.

[Jack Squat]

If you're going to have the Corries, then they should be singing 'Oh Flower of Scotland' (since they wrote it in the first place). I was looking for a version with the original words, but it's pretty illusive. Best I could find was this one. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=70vcS41tr2A&feature=related)

aye, but I was sticking with Scotland the Greatly Overplayed.

...I really need to get a Corries CD. Do they even sell them over here in the states?

[Ceska]

Being an American, The Star-Spangled Banner is the natural response. After all, its set to the tune of a drinking song. How awesome is that?
Just make Alabama Song your national anthem then. Far better song.

The Hendrix version is the only version I'll ever be able to hear.


Ode an die Freude. It was once the German national anthem (before they reintroduced the current one...) and it is now (without the text) the anthem of the EU.
I would like Ode an die Freude far more if it hadn't been played at each school festival, with each version sounding just like the last.

I like the Russian anthem, though the Soviet had far better writing (not subject matter, just the style of the lyrics).

[Project_Mayhem]

God save our gracious Queen
Long live our noble Queen
God save the Queen
Send her victorious
Happy and glorious
Long to reign over us
God save the Queen

O Lord our God arise
Scatter her enemies
And make them fall
Confound their politics
Frustrate their knavish tricks
On Thee our hopes we fix
God save us all

Thy choicest gifts in store
On her be pleased to pour
Long may she reign
May she defend our laws
And ever give us cause
To sing with heart and voice
God save the Queen

Not in this land alone
But be God's mercies known
From shore to shore
Lord make the nations see
That men should brothers be
And form one family
The wide world over

From every latent foe
From the assassins blow
God save the Queen
O'er her thine arm extend
For Britain's sake defend
Our mother, prince, and friend
God save the Queen

Lord grant that Marshal Wade
May by thy mighty aid
Victory bring
May he sedition hush
And like a torrent rush
Rebellious Scots to crush
God save the King


I'm not a royalist or a christian, but damn if that isn't a badass national anthem. I mean, we've got a bit about crushing the Scottish built right in.:smallbiggrin:

[Lissou]

The Russians have always given good anthem. Both the pre-1917 "God Save the Tsar" (which has a cameo in the 1812 Overture) and their current national anthem (the old Soviet anthem with updated lyrics) have a certain hair-raising je ne c'est quoi, even for someone who's not Russian.

Since nobody else corrected you... >.>
It is "je ne sais quoi", which means "I don't know what". "Je ne c'est quoi" literally means "I don't it's what", which makes no sense.

[Aron Times]

Kazakhstan, greatest country in the world
All other countries are run by little girls
Kazakhstan number one exporter of potassium
Other countries have inferior potassium

Kazakhstan, home of Tinshein swimming pool
Its length thirty meter and width six meter
Filtration system a marvel to behold
It remove eighty percent of human solid waste

Kazakhstan, Kazakhstan, you very nice place
From plains of Tarashenk to nothern fence of Jewtown
Kazakhstan friend of all except Uzbekistan
They very nosy people with bone in their brain

Kazakhstan, industry best in world
We invented toffee and trouser belt
Kazakhstan's prostitutes cleanest in the region
Except of course for Turkmenistan's

Kazakhstan, Kazakhstan, you very nice place
From plains of Tarashenk to nothern fence of Jewtown
Come grasp the mighty phenis of our leader
From junction with the testes to tip of its face

[WhiteHarness]

...we've got a bit about crushing the Scottish built right in.:smallbiggrin:
I was going to let this thread pass without having an opinion, but this line convinced me otherwise. Anything that celebrates crushing the Scots can't be all bad. Thus, I choose the British national anthem as my favorite, too.

[Athaniar]

I was going to let this thread pass without having an opinion, but this line convinced me otherwise. Anything that celebrates crushing the Scots can't be all bad. Thus, I choose the British national anthem as my favorite, too.

Avoid political discussion, please. Also, I, too, like Scotland the Brave (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U5bxT-j9UOQ).

[afroakuma]

Confound their politics
Frustrate their knavish tricks

...you're kidding, right?

[Emrylon]

Well I am very biased but I do find the Welsh anthem very stirring (Yes I know it's part of Britain and God save the queen is our proper anthem and all that)

This isn't a perfect translation bit it will do

The land of my fathers, the land of my choice,
The land in which poets and minstrels rejoice;
The land whose stern warriors were true to the core,
While bleeding for freedom of yore.
Chorus
Wales! Wales! fav'rite land of Wales!
While sea her wall, may naught befall
To mar the old language of Wales.

Old mountainous Cambria, the Eden of bards,
Each hill and each valley, excite my regards;
To the ears of her patriots how charming still seems
The music that flows in her streams.

My country tho' crushed by a hostile array,
The language of Cambria lives out to this day;
The muse has eluded the traitors' foul knives,
The harp of my country survives.

[Project_Mayhem]

...you're kidding, right?

I told you it was awesome.





Originally Posted by WhiteHarness
I was going to let this thread pass without having an opinion, but this line convinced me otherwise. Anything that celebrates crushing the Scots can't be all bad. Thus, I choose the British national anthem as my favorite, too.

Avoid political discussion, please. Also, I, too, like Scotland the Brave.

Thats not political - it's like genetic or something. The English have a racial +1 to hit against the Scots. We've been fighting them on and off forever; what else is Hadrian's wall for? Its basically affectionate by now.

[Nerd-o-rama]

My favorite is the one from the comedy film Borat.

Yes, I'm being totally serious. The music is uplifting and the lyrics are hilarious. :smallsmile:

I suppose this reflects on how seriously I take nationalism... :smallsigh"Hail Pottsylvania" is another great one.

[Dacia Brabant]

I was about to agree with An Der Freude (I mean come on, Beethoven + Schiller = win), but then I remembered this awesome scene (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_iYbEPZVVIA). La Marseillaise it is. :smallsmile:

[Canadian]

I like the Canadian one...

[Sereg]

I really like Nkosi Sikelele Afrika.


Awww, thanks. I don't really know enough to be able to give an opinion, but it's nice to know that your countries anthem is appreciated by people from other countries.

[Mushroom Ninja]

Hatikvah and the Russian National Anthem are, without question, my two favorite national anthems.

[Lord of the Helms]

The Canadian and Russian anthems are nice, and the Marseillaise isn't bad too, but my favorite, musically, is the old DDR anthem "Auferstanden aus Ruinen", which I find much prettier than our not-bad-but-unspectacular current anthem, even if the latter carries greater historical importance. I also quite like the lyrics. It's a pity the Communist taint prevented it from becoming the unified Federal Republic's anthem, really.

[skywalker]

I saw the thread title and immediately thought "Rule Britannia." It kicks "GSTQ"'s butt. I think it should be made the new British natonal anthem. It kicks SSB's butt too, my opinion.

On the subject of the Star Spangled Banner, I find most modern "pop" versions kinda annoying. I liked Hendrix' version, it said something about the current state of affairs in the country at the time.

And even tho I find it annoying, it's their country, and their anthem too. So they can show respect however they best feel appropriate.

[Satyr]

Yes, Auferstanden aus Ruinen was the more beautiful German anthem; I would even dare to say that it doesn't have as many bad historical associations as the current one. Is there any other country in the world besides Germany where it is slightly illegal to sing the first two strophes of the national anthem?

Fun fact: In the diiscussion of a new national anthem for Western Germany in the fifties, parts of the (Western) German Communist Party propagated "Die Gedanken sind frei" ("the mind is free"), a really old folksong as a new national anthem. This would have been awesome as well, but since it was propagated by parts of the Communists, it was most completely unpopular from the start.

[Avilan the Grey]

La Marseillaise it is. :smallsmile:

...I had forgot about that one. I do love that one too.

[bosssmiley]

Who can forget the Canadian National Anthem (http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=IIHQwrt4mXY) (best version of GSTQ)

♫ Our country reeks of trees
Our yaks are really large
And they smell like rotting beef carcasses ♪
(etc)

:smallamused:

[Wandiya]

I vote for the national anthem of ankh-morpork

"We own all your helmets, we own all your shoes"
"We own all your generals - touch us and you'll lose."
:smallbiggrin::smallwink:

[User Name]

I think the American anthem is the best because America is such a great country! USA #1!

[Ravens_cry]

I rather like the Canadian national Anthem, because I love how it builds.

[The Evil Bard]

The French one. Both the lyrics and music are awesome.

What does this horde of slaves,
Of traitors and conspiring kings want?
For whom these vile chains,
These long-prepared irons? (repeat)
Frenchmen, for us, ah! What an insult
What fury it must arouse!
It is us they dare plan
To return to the old slavery!

What! These foreign cohorts!
Would rule our homes!
These mercenary phalanxes
Would cut down our proud warriors! (repeat)
Good Lord! By chained hands
Our heads would bow under the yoke
The vile despots would become
The masters of our destinies!

Frenchmen, as magnanimous warriors,
Bear or hold back your blows!
Spare these sad victims,
Armed against us against their will. (repeat)
But not these blood-thirsty despots,
These accomplices of Bouillé,
All these tigers who mercilessly
Ripped out their mother's breast!

Sacred patriotic love,
Lead and support our avenging arms
Liberty, cherished liberty,
Fight back with your defenders! (repeat)
Under our flags, let victory
Hurry to your manly tone,
So that your enemies, in their last breath,
See your triumph and our glory!

[UnChosenOne]

Soviet anthem. Somehow it aren't suprising because russian's have all know how to make good military/politic/propaganda music.

[Telonius]

Star-Spangled Banner, but only when Jimi Hendrix is playing it. Minus Hendrix, I keep thinking of a quote from "Angels in America..."

"The (guy) who wrote the national anthem knew what he was doing. He set the word 'free' to a note so high nobody can reach it. That was deliberate."

I wish either "America the Beautiful" or "My country, 'tis of Thee" had won out for the anthem.

Otherwise, the German national anthem is my favorite. Can't go wrong with Haydn!

[doliest]

The soviet union and ireland had good anthems, but my top goes off to the short and sweet anthem of vietnam'

Armies of Vietnam, forward!
With one single determination to save our Fatherland,
Our hurried steps resound on the long and arduous road.
Our flag, red with the blood of victory, bears the spirit of the country.
The distant rumbling of the guns mingles with our marching song.
The path to glory is built by the bodies of our foes.
Overcoming all hardships, together we build our resistance bases.
Ceaselessly for the People's cause let us struggle,
Let us hasten to the battlefield!
Onward! All together advancing!
For one eternal Vietnam

[Fifty-Eyed Fred]

In Soviet Russia, national anthem listens to YOU!

So yeah, I like the Soviet Russian one.

As others have said there are so many better patriotic British songs than our national anthem. Oh well.

[Piedmon_Sama]

This is by far the greatest anthem ever. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dYmcD2HLs8A)

[Flame of Anor]

I've got a lot of love for The Star-Spangled Banner, but my favorite has always been La Mareillaise (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_iYbEPZVVIA). I just find that "Let us march, that their tainted blood may drench our furrows" is precisely the sort of in-your-face can of whoopass that I want in my anthems, instead of the pablum in "God Save the Queen" or "O Canada".

You can say that again. I totally agree about how cool the Marseillaise is.

The Star-Spangled Banner, though--it's not as "in-your-face can of whoopass", but it is very excellently written. I'm very sorry that people only ever know the first verse. For one thing, the others are at least as good; for another, the other verses continue the theme which the first only starts. Remember, the first ends "O, say, does that star-spangled banner yet wave/O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave?" Not very satisfying, huh? But the other verses give it an affirming ending. They have, respectively, "long may it wave", "in triumph doth wave", and "in triumph shall wave". Oh, heck, the whole thing deserves to be read. Here you go.

O! say can you see by the dawn's early light
What so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last gleaming.
Whose broad stripes and bright stars through the perilous fight,
O'er the ramparts we watched were so gallantly streaming.
And the rockets' red glare, the bombs bursting in air,
Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there.
Oh, say does that star-spangled banner yet wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave?

On the shore, dimly seen through the mists of the deep,
Where the foe's haughty host in dread silence reposes,
What is that which the breeze, o'er the towering steep,
As it fitfully blows, half conceals, half discloses?
Now it catches the gleam of the morning's first beam,
In full glory reflected now shines in the stream:
'Tis the star-spangled banner! Oh long may it wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!

And where is that band who so vauntingly swore
That the havoc of war and the battle's confusion,
A home and a country should leave us no more!
Their blood has washed out their foul footsteps' pollution.
No refuge could save the hireling and slave
From the terror of flight, or the gloom of the grave:
And the star-spangled banner in triumph doth wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!

O! thus be it ever, when freemen shall stand
Between their loved home and the war's desolation!
Blest with victory and peace, may the heav'n rescued land
Praise the Power that hath made and preserved us a nation.
Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just,
And this be our motto: 'In God is our trust.'
And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!


This just impresses on me again and again what a great poet Francis Scott Key was. It's too bad that only a quarter of this song--wonderful throughout--is ever heard.

And the other verses of the Marseillaise are good also, though they similarly are neglected.


EDIT: EvilBard, you left out the first verse of the Marseillaise:

Forward, children of the Fatherland
The day of glory is come!
Against us, tyranny's
Bloody standard is raised!
Do you hear in our fields
These ferocious soldiers howling?
They are coming right into our arms
To disembowel your sons and wives!


And Scotland is cool. No Scot-massacring please, or else I might have to reclaim my heritage (I am descended from the kings of Scotland you know) and go massacre some Britons...no, wait, I'm descended from their kings too. How about the Irish? I will steal all of their potatoes! Ha ha!